Forbidden Shadows
by TafferAnakara
Summary: Romance is forbidden to keepers. They believe it to be a…interference to their own balance. Artemus, a young keeper attempts to bend and tip the golden scales…even if it meant banishment and even death. Rating might go up.


A/N: This is a "What if…" story and is not meant to be taken seriously. This was done just for fun . From what I understand, Artemus is a person with a personality, fears, emotions, ECT… and like everybody he has a past. So, constructive critique will ONLY be accepted. Flames will be used to keep my ass warm.

Thank You.

Summary: Romance is forbidden to keepers. They believe it to be a…interference to their own balance. Artemus, a young keeper attempts to bend and tip the golden scales…even if it meant banishment and even death.

Disclaimer: I don't own thief. Artemus, other random keepers (the whole bloody organization), the world in which they stalk all belong to the late Looking Glass Studios.

Aine AW-nay is © to me. (Changed her name people because I had too many characters named Kiara) --

WARNING: Sappy and sad story

Rating: 14A (for choice of vocabulary, violence and mush.)

_**Forbidden Shadows**_

**Chapter one: A new keeper**

** A**rtemus felt the cool, gold chain slip over his bowed head and rested on the back of his neck, a golden pendent with two keys crossing over a key hole dangled to the ground. He looked up, his long silver bangs casting shadows over his pale face. First Keeper Xavier smiled down at him and extended a hand. Artemus took hold and was pulled to his feet. Xavier turned the young man around and made a loud announcement to the quiet room.

"Our new brother…Keeper Artemus!" The room broke out into a series of whistles, cheering and chants. After ten years of hard training Artemus had become a newborn keeper, his lessons still fresh within his mind. He smiled faintly and scanned the council room with his sharp hazel eyes. This was his family welcoming him, the only family he had ever really trusted…and he intended to protect them. He scanned the crowd for one particular person, a friend. His smile faded when he discovered that she was not present, she promised that she would be there to witness his graduation, still the young acolyte was nowhere. Still he hung his head high, his eyes dancing with pride just in case she was watching. He watched as Xavier shook hands with the other grads, whispering personal messages to each one. Artemus toyed with the cuff of his grad robe, feeling the soft fabric between his fingers. He sighed quietly and soon his eyes came into contact with Xavier's cool grey ones. The older keeper patted Artemus's shoulder and smiled softly at him.

"You did very well my son. Very well, congratulations Artemus." The two men shook hands and Xavier walked away, his long robes brushing the ground. Xavier walked to the podium and once again introduced the grads. He turned to face them and whispered one last set of words to them.

"Balance to you all."

With that, the ceremony was over and everyone was entitled to go about their businesses.

Artemus walked the grey hallways of the compound. The rain had let up but still dark clouds lurked above him. He looked up at the sky and frowned.

"When was the last time I felt light?" he pondered. "When was the last time I stepped out of darkness?" A keeper was condemned to the darkness to be a shadow, to watch the world change but never change yourself. Although Artemus did weapon training outside, sunlight rarely raked its fingertips along the grassy yard of the compound. And when sunlight drenched the courtyard, Artemus would spend hours studying in its warmth. But somehow the sun had betrayed him, left him alone in the darkness; even the moon doesn't cloak him its light. He sighed and lifted the keeper medallion that hung around his neck and looked at it. It was his reward for making it this far, did he really deserve such an award? He grasped it firmly in his hand, his long fingers casing it. With a heavy sigh he let it drop, the weight pulling him down. Throwing his hood up over his head with his long bangs falling into his eyes, he made his way to the dinner hall.

**D**inner was prepared special that night to honour the grads. Artemus hardly touched his food although his stomach ached terribly. His eyes scanned the table, familiar faces littered the room, but none of them were her. Artemus hung his head and stared at his rapidly cooling food. He drew lazy outlines of glyphs on his plate with his fork, the metal against the silver plate sung a haunting melody. He titled his head until his cheek rested on his clammy palm. Perhaps he wasn't feeling well or perhaps he was feeling a strong sense of guilt. He put the fork down and excused himself, leaving without a word. The others didn't seem to notice, they just continued to laugh, play, talk and make merry. Artemus walked slowly to his room with only the golden lights of the torches to light his path.

**T**he moonlight poured into his small but cozy room. His window overlooked the small square with the mountains fading in the background. An oak desk with keeper glyphs lining it was in the corner. An oil lamp and a black leather bound journal occupied the top. He pushed the door closed with his stiff back, the door groaning for him. It softly clicked and he walked slowly to the dresser. He opened the top drawer and pulled out loose black loose fitting pants and shirt. Artemus took off his keeper medallion and placed it on the hard oak table with a soft clink. He undid the grey sash around his waist and tossed it to the side. Then he pulled his robes over his head and folded them up and placed them on the dresser. He shivered as the night air kissed his naked chest and arms. Shivering off the cool air he looked at himself in the mirror, trying to stand tall. His eyes screamed for sleep and they stung when he tried to shut them. His silver locks were limp and he made no effort to brush them away from his face. The soft glow from the oil lamp made his face appear much older. He lips were pale and cracked, he tried licking them but it just made them worse. Artemus wasn't heavily built but his chest and torso were well toned. When he breathed he saw a hint of his ribs pushing his skin up. He scratched his torso, ignoring the pain within his stomach as it growled. He grabbed the rim of his pants and looked around his room.

"Even walls have eyes," he mumbled to himself. Ensuring that it was ok, he slipped his pants off. Quickly, as he had taken them off, he replaced them with his pajama pants. He slipped on his shirt and walked over to the desk. It was recommended that keepers write in their journals every day. However, sleep weaved its enchanting song over him and he passed on writing events. He picked up the handle of the oil lamp and set it down on the table near his bed. Pulling back the thick black blankets he slid his feet in and plopped his head on the two propped up pillows. His silver hair contrasted against the black nest as it fanned out across the pillows. He reached out and turned out the knob of the gas lamp. He was cloaked in darkness as he fell asleep to nights lullaby.

**A/N: Dear sweet Builder I am tired. It's 1 am over here and I have splitting headache. This is my first Thief fan fiction (mind you I don't write a hell of a lot of fan fiction.) Well, hope you like. More to come. Don't worry…everything will fall into place later. It might look short on but believe me it's long in word.**


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